SEGC coach Dave Massam gets Commonwealth judging call-up

SOUTH ESSEX’S David Massam has been called up as a judge for this year’s Commonwealth Games.

Massam, the assistant men’s head coach at the Basildon Sporting Village-based club, has been selected as an official for the gymnastics competition.

The 31-year-old from Basildon said: “It is a honour to get a call-up to such a big event, and we are hopeful the club will have people competing there too.

“I have a passion for gymnastics anyway, so for me to be so close to top level competition and see what people are doing is great.

“As a judge this is the biggest event I have ever done and it is a fantastic opportunity.”

Massam became involved in judging eight years ago and completed his Brevet qualification – the international standard – in January 2013.

This is his first Olympic cycle as a Brevet judge, so he has started at a category four level and hopes to move up to category three after his role at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July.

And – as with everyone in the gymnastics world – he admits he would love to one day get a call-up for the World Championships, and even the Olympics.

He said: “British Gymnastics is quite well off in terms of the number of Brevet judges we have got, and we have a good pedigree so there is some fierce competition.

“But of course I would love to be a judge at the Olympics one day. I think you have to be category one for the Olympics and I think each country is only allowed two of them.

“But that would be an ideal aim for me – I think it is everyone’s aim in the sport to be part of the Olympics, either as an athlete, a coach or a judge. To go there in a professional capacity would be amazing.

“Rio will probably come to early for me to do that, but 2020 is a possibility I guess. It all depends how the next few years go for me.”